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Flintlock or cap lock?

Frontiersman101
Which do you prefure and why?
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9 comments

Date Votes
  • mbsams
    Cap - simple, reliable, fast ingnition, far better if you hunt with your gun - easy to waterproof for the hunt. Much easier to shoot accuratly due to ignition time. Doesn't endanger my eyes. Flint is a PITA.
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  • andersk
    I personally prefer the percussion cap. They are just more reliable and in general get much faster ignition. A lot of my friends say, "If it ain't got a rock in the lock it ain't a real gun!" I say that is OK with me, but I keep shooting my caplock ... it gives me the same very much gun-like smoke and bang!
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  • dandak1
    caplock. If I want more primitive I go with a recurve.
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  • wvhunt
    quote:Originally posted by Frontiersman101
    Which do you prefure and why?

    I love a flintlock, In pa where my grandpap taught me to hunt a flinlock was needed for muzzleloader season. Id love 2 have that rifle some day, it was a challange, you needed the disapline 2 hold the sight on the deer waiting for that rifle to fire. My vote is flintlock, however the percussion cap is much easier and realiable.
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  • allen griggs
    Don't be a wimp.
    The Mexicans at the Alamo used the flintlock.
    The caplock is simply too new-fangled.

    The Puritans at Plymouth Rock used the matchlock.
    The British at Lexington Green used the flintlock.
    Do you want to be a Crockett-Killer, or a Patriot?
    Your choice.

    matchlock08web.jpg
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  • k_townman
    I've shot a caplock for over 30 years. I really want to build me a flintlock.
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  • timhill100
    ive had both but sold my flintlock in favor or a cap lock, even at the range was hard to get the flint to fire everytime no problem with a cap though
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  • dsmc1
    Have lots of both, having collected and shot for nearly 40 years. Personally prefer flint, having been a member of an 18th century reenactors Militia, and "fought" in battles from Maine to Georgia, from Valley Forge to England and Paris. Love the clouds of white smoke and the stink of sulfur. Defended "Bunker Hill" against the redcoats in the first major reenactment of that battle held in Newbury Mass'tts on a piece of terrain that replicated the original battle site. (actual site in Boston is covered with houses now.) Was an early heavy ground fog, and when the lines of red coated Brits materialized out of the mists and started advancing up the hill, I'll tell you it was quite an experience. The powder smoke just hung on the air, making for a very eerie experience.
    But back to the subject, Yes the flint DOESN'T always ignite your priming, and the pan doesn't always ignite the main powder charge, but that's PART OF THE THRILL. Making sure you have a good flint and good priming.
    Got my first deer EVER this past season with a flintlock Kentucky Rifle. 50 cal 40 yards through thick brambles. 4 point buck stood there broadside looking at me in broad daylight. Took me almost 2 minutes of walking back an forth and bobbing and weaving to find a hole big enough to shoot through; finally lined up on his chest through a dinnerplate size hole in the brambles, fired from a half crouch. And when I sidestepped to see past the clouds of smoke, he was laying on his side thrashing. Loaded a second ball (no patch) and primed mostly by feel, and when he struggled to his feet I was ready and put a second ball through his neck and he keeled over for good. Dressed out at 125 pounds, and sure tasted good. After all those years of traipsing all over the mountains and swamps of New Hampshire with a modern rifle, was sure nice to get one a quarter mile from home with a smokepole. Do ALL my hunting now with flint.
    I appreciate your reasons for liking percussion, but I'll stick to flint. But that's what makes the world go round isn't it?
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  • bigfische
    209 primers all day, there is no comparison.
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